communication: let's talk about it

note:  I wrote this for my Creative Writing 10 class over the summer.  The original blog post, along with links to those of my classmates who wrote about their respective fields and interests, can be found here.

“Girlfriend mo na ba ‘ko?”

“Ayoko nga!  Demanding ang mga girlfriend.  Gusto gan’to, gusto ganyan!  Ewan.”

“Gusto ko lang naman ng McDo fries, eh.”

These lines from a commercial for the fast food chain McDonald’s best illustrate the major point of George Homans’ Social Exchange Theory: people in relationships seek to gain maximum rewards at minimum costs.  Rewards and costs can constitute anything from financial support, to a feeling of acceptance, to an order of fries.  The McDonald’s commercial featuring two preschool kids debating the status of their relationship concludes thusly: all the girl wants is fries, and the little boy, after making the life-changing realization that love can be bought, has his first girlfriend.

what I mean when I say "like"

Facebook is a great social networking site for  keeping in touch with friends, sharing photos, playing games and condemning alleged killers to a punch in the face.  Nowadays, you can even use it to put a stop to violence against women with just the use of the "like" feature.  (Please note the use of sarcasm here and read on.)

In terms of quick and widespread information dissemination, Facebook wins.  Online Schools approximates one active Facebook user for every 13 people on Earth, half of whom are logged in on any given day.  In the same survey, 48% of young Americans said that they find out about news not in newspapers and news programs but on Facebook.  And in just 20 minutes, about 1 851 000 statuses are updated all over the world.

What it comes down to is that almost everyone is on Facebook.  We have come to rely on it for more than just social needs.  The 'group' feature is a great tool for students and teachers to share resources and communicate outside of the classroom.  Professionals can pull together projects and promote their work extensively with the aid of Facebook.  Employers use job applicants' Facebook profiles as a basis for judgment of their character.

Facebook is also a center for all forms of advocacy.